The Progression of Emotion
by Schizzar
Summary: Red and Blue's relationship was a constantly shifting entity, from friends, to rivals, to something else entirely. Through everything, they've only had one dependable relationship; each other. M/M


**This story started as very not serious drabbles and then evolved into an angsty and fluffy monster. I love the pairing of Blue and Red, and is probably my OTP for the Pokémon fandom. Also, for people reading my Morty/Falkner, there is finally a new chapter coming along. I hope you enjoy the story, and I don't own Pokémon.**

"Why?"

Red stopped toweling off his hair, looking over his shoulder at Blue. "What?"

Blue leaned back on the bed, gesturing towards the ass-hugging skinny jeans Red had just slipped on after his shower. "You've never been one to follow fads. Why now?"

Red twisted his head around to look at where Blue's gaze was, then shrugged. "They're comfortable."

Of course. Of course that was Red's reasoning. He never realized how damned good he looked, especially now with his shirt off, a few droplets of water dripping down his bare back. Things were practical for Red. Blue nimbly jumped off the bed, pinching the Trainer's ass before fleeing out of the room.

-.-

"Where will you go now?" Blue tugged on Eevee's ear, batting her paw away when she swiped at him. The small Pokémon pounced and landed on his chest, licking his cheek as he turned to look at Red.

The trainer tossed a Pokéball up and down a few times before catching it and hooking it on his belt. He tugged his hat lower to hide his crimson eyes. "Don't know. Going to Mount Silver maybe."

"What?" Blue sat up, his actions resulting in Eevee tumbling down his chest and landing in a bed of flowers. "But you just got home, you don't want to stay?"

"Will you be staying?" Red asked. "Work for Oak for the rest of your life?"

Blue snorted. "He doesn't like me enough for that. He'd prefer you stay behind. You're the Champion after all."

"I revoked that title, and you know it. And he's dumb. You're a good trainer," Red said, sitting up.

For a moment, they were both silent, and Blue stared down at Pallet Town. When they were younger, before they became rivals, they had sat up on this hill together, playing until their parents called them in. Blue was always the first to go, but this time, Red was going first. The lanky trainer got to his feet, nudging his cap up a little as he looked down at Blue.

"I'm leaving in a few days I think," he said. "Maybe when someone knocks me down, I'll come back."

"You never could stay in one place for very long," Blue said.

"Neither could you. Don't waste your life," Red said. "Pikachu, come on."

The electric mouse squeaked and when Blue turned, he saw him wrestling with Eevee. Pikachu pulled away and moved towards Red, but Eevee lunged to cut him off, her expression determined. She darted forward and licked Pikachu's nose. Electricity sparked out of his cheeks and Blue laughed, snatching up his Eevee so Pikachu could continue on his way. Red finally picked up the Pikachu who was still stunned from Eevee's advances, then gave Blue a small, nearly non-existent smile.

It was the last expression Blue saw for a long time. When he went to see Red the next day, he was already gone.

-.-

Blue didn't know what to do. He had been drifting, floating around since he ran away from Indigo Plateau. Oak hadn't called him once. That hurt most of all.

-.-

It was four years before Red was knocked down from his throne on Mount Silver. By that point, Blue was hired as the Viridian Gym Leader and he had never been so miserable. He wasn't meant to stay in one place for so long, and battling twerp Pokémon trainers who treated their Pokémon like slaves was just plain annoying.

And then Red had walked through the door, cap pulled low with his ever present Pikachu by his side. Blue had stared for awhile, taking in the other's form. He was taller, his hair longer and shaggier than it had ever been. For awhile, they didn't speak, but then Blue pulled out a Pokéball and released his Rhydon.

"For old times sake?" he asked.

Red called out his Blastoise, a smirk visible on his lips. Then he gave a command. The battle was just as fierce as always, and was a sweet relief to fight against someone who knew what they were doing. He knew Red's style, as well as Red knew his. Red was a defensive fighter at the beginning before settling into a rhythm of vicious attacks. It was a closer match than it had been in all their years fighting, but Red still came out on top in the end.

Blue shook his head as he recalled his Pidgeot, then moved across the arena to sweep Red up in a hug. The smaller flailed in his grip until he let him go, readjusting his hat to cover his eyes until Blue knocked it off his head. The crimson eyes staring up at him were disgruntled, but he left his hat on the ground for once.

"You know your mom's called me every week since you left, hoping I heard from you?" Blue picked up Red's hat, shoving it down on his head. "I'm glad your back."

"I'm glad to be back."

-.-

Blue hadn't woken up with a morning wood in awhile, so it was a bit of surprise when he woke up with one. He flopped back on his bed, closing his eyes. The images from his dream play on his eyelids as his hand trailed down beneath the sheets, his shorts, to grasp at his length.

Images of Red spread out beneath him. Of his flushed face, his eyes practically rolling in pleasure. This isn't the first dream like this. It certainly isn't the last.

Blue always wanted what he couldn't have.

-.-

When his last Pokémon fell to Red's Venusaur, his heart dropped to his stomach. It couldn't be this way. He had finally proved himself to be the strongest trainer, only to have it ripped out from beneath him. Oak's expression, his words, that sealed Blue's next actions.

He ran. Ran away for the first time in his life.

-.-

"Hello?"

"Hi, Blue. Have you heard any news on Red?"

Blue's eyes narrowed as he looked at the Champion, stretched out on his couch reading some generic Trainer magazine. "No, I _haven't_ seen Red."

The Trainer jolted, barely meeting Blue's eyes before dashing out of the room. Blue snapped at Eevee and pointed after Red, and she ran after him while Blue finished up talking to Red's mother. When he finished, Red had been dragged into the room by the joint effort of Pikachu and Eevee. Blue was delighted to see that they had managed to knock his hat off too. Flicking the cellphone shut, Blue moved towards him, shooing the two Pokémon away as he crouched down beside him.

"Thought you said you visited your mother three days ago," Blue said.

Red pulled his knees up to his chest, resting his chin on his knees and keeping his gaze down. "Don't wanna go home, so I didn't."

Blue quirked an eyebrow up. "So you lied?"

"Sorry."

"Why though?"

Red shrugged. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

Blue leaned back, wishing Red would look at him, not that it would really help. Red was quiet and cold before he left, and still was if not more so. The few days since he had returned, Red let his mask slip, his expressions more noticeable when he was happy. But now, Blue knew the mask was firmly in place.

"Why can't you go home?"

"If I stay in one place too long...I might never leave."

"You were on Mount Silver for four years," Blue said.

"Wasn't home though." Red shoved his head into his folded arms, curling tighter. "Not as dangerous."

"Why is going home dangerous?"

Red stood abruptly, pacing away from him. "You wouldn't understand, Blue. Just drop it."

"Dammit, Red! I'm sick of your distraught mother calling me! Go home! Just once, okay? You have a place to go to, I don't." Blue turned his back on the other Trainer, wishing he could take back what he said.

"What do you mean, Blue?" Red's voice as so quiet, so nice, Blue could feel his resolve breaking. "Blue?"

"Oak likes you the most. When I go home, he just talked about you. And then Daisy died so there just...isn't a point. I'm a disappointment to everyone there."

"Daisy died?"

Blue moved to sit on the couch, keeping his head down. "That's not important here. The issue is you have a home and you should tell your mom you love her, okay?"

For awhile, the house was silent. Red shuffled closer, his hand resting on top of Blue's shoulder. "Okay. I'll go. But you're coming with me."

Blue closed his eyes. "Okay."

-.-

Blue had never seen Red interact with his mother, only ever seeing them separately. It was odd when he realized it, but it made sense when he returned to Pallet Town. As soon as they walked in, Red was bowled over by his mother. She was crying, and her hugs were tight. When she finally calmed down, she had them sit down and made them tea, making Red go over every detail of where he had been.

Blue could count on one hand how many times he had heard Red laugh, but that afternoon, Blue lost count. They bantered and joked and Red's expressions flowed freely, not guarded at all, and it was then Blue realized why the Trainer was so afraid of staying so long.

With such a loving home, who would want to leave?

-.-

When Blue and Red got back to Blue's apartment in Viridian City, the tension between them had all but evaporated. It was as if Blue experiencing that moment with Red's mom, that conversation, had moved Blue officially into the 'safe' zone of Red's mind.

Blue was finally allowed to see the true Red. Over the next few days, Red loosened up, and as it turned out, he had quite the comedic timing. Blue had thought he knew Red, but now that they were living together, he had a whole new perspective. And he didn't mind it in the least.

-.-

"So how'd she die?"

"Hit by a car in Saffron, a year after you left."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"You're here now."

-.-

Blue was in control of his body, in comparison to other people at least. Meditation had helped him keep his cool during battle, and as a result that control extended to his body. But sometimes he lost it, and usually without warning.

Red didn't wear his hat in the morning, not bothering until they went out or someone visited the apartment. Most mornings, they would sit in the living room and read, which was a relaxing way to start the day before battling obnoxious, bratty Trainers. That morning, Red brushed his hair out of his face, the motion drawing Blue's eyes like a magnet. Sensing his stare, Red looked up, meeting his eyes.

Then his eyes were closer, wider, and their lips were pressed together. Blue hadn't even remembered moving. He stumbled back.

"Uh. Sorry."

And for the second time in his life, he ran away.

-.-

The night Red announced he was going to Mount Silver was the first time Blue had seen him in a year. Right after their initial battle at the League both had gone on for more training and it was pure chance they had ended up in Pallet Town at the same time.

Maybe it was chance, maybe it was fate. Blue didn't really give a damn, he just wanted to keep Red around as much as possible.

-.-

"Are you ever leaving?" Blue shoved a bowl of noodles towards Red.

"That's the first thing you've said to me since you kissed me, so I have a feeling you want me out of the house," Red said. "Because you don't want to talk about it." He twirled some noodles around his fork and shoved them into his mouth, slurping them down noisily while Blue stared at him.

"I didn't mean to."

"Oh really?" Red set his fork down and stood up, crimson eyes locking on Blue, practically paralyzing him with their intensity. "You didn't mean to kiss me? That was pretty much your move, not mine."

"I can't do relationships," Blue said.

"You think I can?"

Red was right. The other teen was a loner, always had been. He wasn't good around people, which was probably why he didn't remain the reigning Champion. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he was the steadiest relationship in Red's life, and Red...Red was the steadiest relationship for him too. Perhaps the kiss was just a natural progression he had been fighting. But how did two people who couldn't do relationships work?

"So what do we do?" Blue asked.

"I don't know," Red said. "But I don't think we can go back now."

Blue knew that much was the truth. They couldn't go back, but he didn't know where they were going.

-.-

"Fuck, Red, just like that," Blue hissed, unable to stop his hand from creeping down and knotting in Red's hair.

Red's eyes peered up at him and Blue had to stop his hips from jerking up at how damned sexy that look was. Red was so confident everywhere else, but when it came to things like this, he always checked to make sure Blue approved of what he was doing, that Blue liked it. So fucking adorable.

It might've been Red's first time giving a blow job, but to Blue, it felt like heaven. His mouth was wet and hot, tongue slipping up and down in just the right way, teeth grazing over the tip when he pulled back.

"So hot Red," Blue whispered, hand untangling from his hair to stroke at his cheeks, shivering when Red closed his eyes and gave a soft moan at the touch. His eyes narrowed when he realized for the first time where Red's hands were. "You touching yourself?"

The flush creeping up Red's pale neck was answer enough, and Blue gave a low chuckle as he began to pump his hips. "Getting me off makes you hot, huh?" Blue leaned back in the chair, panting as Red began to suck harder. It was undoubtedly Red's way of telling him to shut up and let him do what he wanted.

Sometimes, Blue thought he was in charge, and then Red would give him that look, that look he was giving him now through his long eyelashes that said, "You come when I want you to, so don't piss me off."

So Blue shut his mouth and lost himself to the pleasure of Red's mouth.

-.-

It was terrifying. Absolutely terrifying the way Red was perfect for him. He fit just right against him when they slept, his kisses sent goose bumps crawling over his skin, and never did he get bored with their conversations. He figured that after a few months, hell a year, he'd grow restless at Red's constant presence, but here they were, three years later, and not a single bit of their passion had died down.

He loved Red. It was quite simply a fact of life.


End file.
